"I want to fight for the belt" - Sam-A says nasty KO over Akram Hamidi should put him right back into title contention

With his performance at ONE Friday Fights 81, striking veteran Sam-A Gaiyanghadao believes that he deserves to be back in the title picture. Given the incredible career he has put together, it's only natural that he remains a part of the title picture.

However, there were some serious concerns about his ability to compete at the highest level following his defeat to Prajanchai PK Saenchai, who stopped him in devastating fashion at ONE Friday Fights 22..

That proved to be a hiccup, but he rebounded in perfect fashion at ONE Friday Fights 81 by producing a similarly stunning knockout over Akram Hamidi in the first round.

Now, he has his sights set back on the gold which currently belongs to his former foe, Prajanchai. Speaking in a post-fight interview with Nick Atkin at Lumpinee Stadium, Sam-A said that the world championship is his goal right now:

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"For the next fight, if I'm not fighting for the belt, sure I can fight other people. But for sure, I want to fight for the belt."

Watch the full interview below:

Sam-A refuses to go away without a fight

When you have the experience of a competitor like Sam-A, it's easy to see why he wouldn't walk away from the sport that easily. The 40-year-old veteran wants a rematch with Prajanchai or potentially, a first encounter with former champion, Jonathan Di Bella.

Prajanchai is currently in possession of both the strawweight kickboxing world championship and the Muay Thai crown. Sam-A showed in his ruthless finish over Hamidi that he is still hungry to compete at the highest level.

While it appears as though the reigning champion still has a score to settle with Di Bella, you can be sure that the former champ is close behind them both.

The replay of ONE Friday Fights 81 is available at watch.onefc.com for those who purchased the PPV.

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